Making dreams come true: Noble Energy employees partner with Habitat to build house for local resident

Tuesday

Mar 26, 2013 at 8:33 AMMar 26, 2013 at 8:39 AM

Jennifer Lindseyjennifer.lindsey@ardmore­ite.com

One Ardmore family’s dreams are coming true with help from Habitat for Humanity and Noble Energy.

“It’s really amazing. My dream was one day to have a house,” Mirna Dominguez said.

Dominguez and her two children will be the recip­ient of a house currently being built by Habitat for Humanity.

She works at Ardmore Middle School, where her son Jose is in seventh grade. Her daughter Me­lissa is a sophomore at the University of Oklahoma.

“I’m really excited,” said Jose Dominguez, who added that he wants a blue room.

To receive a Habitat for Humanity house, people have to go through an application process. The homeowners have to be employed and able to make payments. They also have to give 300 hours of sweat equity, in which they volunteer on their own home, someone else’s home or the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

Payments are interest­free and the volunteer labor and donated sup­plies keep the cost of the house low.

“We work to make sure it is a payment they can afford,” said Laura Mc-Neill, Ardmore Habitat for Humanity public re­lations.

This week, Noble Ener­gy employees are helping to finish the Dominquez house, which is the first brick house the Ardmore chapter has built. Working in two shifts a day, with about 20 people each, over 80 Noble Energy employees are volunteering Monday through Thursday.

Noble Energy employees have also worked on a house in Houston, which sparked the idea to do the same project in Ardmore. Employees from the Houston and Denver offices came to Ardmore to work on the house.

In addition to volunteering time this week, Noble Energy donated $10,000 to the Ardmore Habitat for Humanity.

"Energizing the world is just part of our mission. We also are bettering people's lives. We do that by sharing our time, talents and financial success," said Gerry Stevenson, Houston, Noble Energy treasurer.

Employees painted primer on the walls and baseboards of the new house Monday.

"The best part is knowing that we are truly helping someone change their life and helping them secure a future and bless them," said accounting manager Mary Hunter. "Hopefully, the people who live in this home will pass it forward to someone else and we can start a flood of giving." Dominguez said she has every intention of passing on the blessings.

"I can't do it with money, but God gave me two hands, if somebody needs help, I will help them," she said.